REIGNING Newcastle District Cricket Association player of the year Jacob Montgomery looks set to be sidelined for longer than first anticipated after scans revealed a torn muscle in his left forearm.
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Wallsend captain Nathan Price said Montgomery, who scored a career-best 682 runs across all formats last season, may miss both upcoming two-day fixtures and not return until after Christmas.
The all-rounder sustained the injury when struck by the ball while batting in a T20 representative game at Port Macquarie on November 1 and has since withdrawn from the Newcastle team to contest the NSW Country Championships on the Central Coast from Friday.
"I'm not surprised with the [scan] results," Price said on Wednesday.
"He [Montgomery] could barely hold a bat the other week. He just had no strength or power to play any shots.
"He got hit playing for the Blasters and just thought it was a bone bruise but it didn't get any better, which is why he got the scans done.
"We've got two more two-day games before Christmas and the likelihood is he'll miss both."
Price said he expects Joseph Clarke, who was unavailable last round, back in the XI to replace Montgomery when the Tigers visit Toronto at Ron Hill Oval this Saturday and next. The Tigers take on Stockton at Lynn Oval on December 12 and 19.
Only five points separate the three sides on the competition ladder - Stockton (23), Wallsend (22) and Toronto (18) - after the opening six rounds.
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IN THE NEWS:
Josh Callinan
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
